


Did we just become best friends? Nope!

by TheBadassIsIn



Series: Triple Dog Dare Verse [6]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Bickering, F/M, Gen, I suck at tagging, M/M, Mates, POV Multiple, Prompt Fill, References to Supernatural (TV), Shopping, Yoga, basically fun Stiles and Jackson times with a side of sex advice, references to american werewolf in london, references to stoker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-03
Updated: 2013-09-03
Packaged: 2017-12-25 11:59:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/952823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBadassIsIn/pseuds/TheBadassIsIn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Hey, look at this.” Stiles says as Jackson takes his time getting up to lean over the desk too.<br/>“Jesus Christ Stilinski! I’m not reading the Kama Sutra with you!” Stiles rolls his eyes and asks the world and maybe his bond with Derek for some much needed patience in dealing with frustrated, in more ways than one, betas.<br/>“Just listen. It’s all about breathing, meditation and certain positions to prolong and better the experience right?” Jackson just stares at him. “Maybe you can use the breathing and meditation part to keep the wolf from bursting out while …enjoying the experience.” God, he should get paid.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Did we just become best friends? Nope!

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: think you could have Jackson come to Stiles unexpectedly and they hang out(ie watch movies and play movies). It could be due to Jackson thinking he was loosing control while making out with Lydia?  
> oh and if you don't mind... later on in the story, you have Scott being his typical self thinking there is something off about Jackson/Stiles and assumes Stiles is cheating on Derek with Jax. lol and the stuff he witnesses them doing looks like it until they finally reveal to the pack that they have been hanging out and Stiles has been great help to Jackson controlling his wolf?
> 
> References: refs to Supernatural, I don't give anything away and if you blink you'll miss it so don't worry. AWIL, I only mention the title and that there's werewolf related violence which I'm pretty sure is common knowledge. Stoker on the other hand - it only gives away one death out of many if you're paying attention to the banter and this little detail that my brother didn't know before we started watching it that I had to include because I thought it was priceless SPOILER!!!SPOILER!!!SPOILER!!! It's not about vampires

**Did we just become best friends? Nope!**

Stiles is walking Derek to the door as has become sort of a morning ritual these last few days when all of a sudden his mate gets this confused frown on his face, quickly wiping it away with a smirk.  _That wasn’t weird_. “What?”

“You’ll see.” Is all he says before a quick brush of lips and a squeeze goodbye. Derek had this thing with wrapping those big hands around any part he could grab and giving a squeeze when no one was looking, Stiles really didn’t mind. He watches his mate pause on the porch for a second before turning around with another little smirk and jogging off. Not ten minutes later there is a knock at the door.

  
“Dad!” Stiles calls to where he can hear him shuffling around the cupboards in the kitchen, no doubt looking for the Pringles Stiles finished off yesterday to keep his dad from cheating on his new diet. “It’s for you.”

“How do you know?”

“My friends use the window.” Stiles says, it’s the truth. Even with the Sheriff knowing their little secret everyone still decides to sneak in, except Derek when he knows his dad is home and it would be pointless.

“They’re allowed through the front door.”

“ _You tell them that_.” Because Stiles had, but apparently being creepy is way more fun for werewolves than what’s convenient.

“Just answer the door.”

Stiles throws his book aside, barely past the table of contents on ridiculous things Lydia could be, and heads to the door expecting a deputy when he swings it open and then remembering Derek acting weird when he sees the one beta that probably had no idea windows were the werewolf thing to do at his house because Stiles didn’t think he’d ever been here. “Yo…” he drags out.

“I don’t crawl through windows.” Stiles is trying really hard not to be worried because Derek was just here and would know if something was wrong, but seriously, Jackson was at his house. On his porch. How the hell was  _that_  normal? And he looked… was the great Jackson Whittemore nervous? This could not be good.

  
“Who died? Oh god, was Lydia kidnapped? There’s this thing called a phone Jackson! You use it to mass text your pack when disaster strikes!”

“Shut up. Is Derek here?”

“You know he just left with a dorky smile on his face like he knew something. Which was you right? Trying to hone the whole werewolf stalking through the shadows bit?” Jackson just glared at him. “What do you want?” He can hear his dad suiting up with badge, gun and jacket behind him.

“Never mind.” The beta begins to back up and Stiles has a feeling this is serious and maybe something he doesn’t want to say in front of a cop, maybe something he needs help with.

“Jackson!” He calls, stopping the beta in his tracks on the steps. He sighs, this better be interesting and not involve digging graves. “Get inside.”

Jackson settles in Stiles spot on the couch, flipping through the book but watching the sheriff finish getting ready and leave. He doesn’t look as worried anymore but he still doesn’t look like he wants to be there. Stiles gets tired of waiting for him to talk and turns on his Xbox to load Netflix.

“You’re just going to watch a movie?” Jackson scoffs and Stiles has to roll his eyes.

“You’re not talking so I’m guessing nothing’s really wrong and you’re just working up to asking a favor so… yeah. Anything you want to see?”

“I don’t know. As long as it’s not the notebook. I like-”

“We’re not watching sports movies. Sports is one thing, sports movies are horrible.” Jackson grumbles something about his taste level that Stiles decides to ignore as he flips through the horror selection, hovering over Reptillicus and giving Jackson his best smile before turning back to click American Werewolf in London.

“Why?”

“I like watching werewolf movies and laughing at what they get wrong.” Jackson breaths out a quick laugh before shaking his head. “What?”

“Me too.”

“Yeah?” The beta doesn’t answer, just stretches out on the couch and stares at the TV, still looking like he wants to say something but not building up the courage to do it. Stiles doesn’t know whether to ask again or wait. “So…”

“Why do you think that more movies and TV shows are making the monsters less scary?”

“What?”

“Like, making them more human.”

“Uh…” Stiles wasn’t sure where this question was going but he’d play ball. “Maybe more people are finding out the truth?”

“But then why are they still getting the details wrong?”

“Maybe… the people that know are trying to make everyone else realize the difference between monsters and just being supernatural while still trying to keep the secret? I don’t know man, why-”

“It’s not helping people stay safe if they have this stupid Twilight romance idea of what we are. They should make more horror movies.”

Stiles thinks about that. There’s got to be a deeper meaning here than Jackson’s new ‘I’m a monster’ competition he has going on with Scott and Derek that they all really needed to get over. “I don’t know man, the 30 days of Night movie came out at the same time as Twilight right? I take vampires very seriously.” It goes quiet again as they watch the television and Stiles fidgets because what was the actual purpose of this conversation? Was Jackson hinting that he wasn’t safe to be around, because Stiles could just add his hyper vigilance to Jackson’s growing list of issues since sophomore year. Was Lydia expecting more teen romance novel from her supernatural boyfriend? Or… “Did we just have an actual pointless conversation? Without fighting or anything?” Jackson shakes his head again before throwing the book at Stiles’ chest.

  
“Better?”

“Kinda.” The silence settles back in but it’s not so awkward when they start scoffing and laughing at the same things. Soon Stiles makes some popcorn, still in the habit of not taking his eyes off the microwave as the bag pops and expands, and it’s not until he gets back that he notices Jackson looking down at his hands while scenes of carnage play across the screen. Stiles shoves the bowl in his lap for a distraction while he turns off the TV. “Hey, yo, you good?”

“I’m having trouble with control.” Stiles drops the remote and snaps back up from where he was about to sit, trying to remember where he left his phone. Charging in his room – great.

“What,  _now_?”

“No you idiot!” Stiles lets out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding and snatches back the popcorn, sitting as far away as the couch will let him.

“Alright. Out with it. The whole problem so I can fix it because that’s why you’re here isn’t it?” Jackson glares at him again before dropping his eyes back to his lap and reaching for a soda can to fiddle with. As he starts to talk, the beta brings his gaze up slowly, trying to seem his usual confident, cocky self but he can’t really meet Stiles’ eyes.

“With Lydia. I’m having trouble controlling my heart rate with Lydia.” Stiles let’s out another slow breath waiting for the beta to continue but he’s clamming up again.

“Why are you coming to me and not Derek?”

“Because the Alpha set ups anchors and triggers and fights and yeah, I have control now if someone pushes me around or is obnoxiously annoying but there are other things that make you turn.” Stiles thinks he knows where this is going but then again it’s Jackson and he’s going to ask instead of taking the whole obnoxiously annoying thing to heart because he’s pretty sure that was about him.

  
“Like...?”

“Like… sex.” Stiles tries very hard not to go wide eyed at that because Jackson could not be here of all places for sex advice. He decided to practice his comedic timing instead of stuttering out suggestions.

“Do you wanna make out?”

“What? No!” Jackson finally moves from the spot he had glued himself to since he arrived to shove Stiles off the other end of the couch. Stiles laughs off his new bruise and goes back to eating the popcorn, equally curious and terrified of what would come out of Jackson’s mouth next. Once the beta got that Stiles was kidding, it didn’t take him long to start up again. “It’s my heart beat, I can’t control it when Lydia… it’s Lydia! No matter what I grab in my head my heart still races and then I start to shift and it’s not like I want to think about anything else, I want to think about her g-”

“Tmi dude, I’m smelling where you’re stepping, continue.” Stiles had to cut in, because he did not need details about their sex life when he had none to taunt back with.

“You’re smelling where I’m stepping?” Jackson asks, douche voice and expression in full effect. Stiles shrugged it off, if making fun of him was what the werewolf needed to feel comfortable enough to get this off his chest, well it’s not like Stiles wasn’t used to it. And even though this was ten kinds of awkward, he wasn’t going to kick Jackson out and leave Lydia in potential risk if the beta couldn’t figure out the problem on his own.

“I’m trying out new wolf related catch phrases, keep talking.”

“I think that one died in the 80’s.”

Stiles threw some popcorn at him to get him back on track. “Just talk about your heart beat. Do you think it’s… ya know or are you so afraid you’re going to slip that you’re making your heart race?”

“I don’t know. What does Derek do? Does he keep it in? If he can I can.”

Stiles just blinks at him for a minute because he honestly doesn’t know what to say. But what the hell, Jackson is being kinda vulnerable on the sex front and maybe he can get some tips in exchange for help. God, what was his life? “ _Does he keep it in?_  Yeah all he does is keep it in. I don’t know if I’m not doing something right but we have  _yet_  to get passed-”

“Yeah now it’s tmi on my side.”

“Shut up. If we were doing it we would have done it everywhere the pack goes to make sure you all know and to torture you for making fun of us.” Stiles says, pushing the popcorn onto the coffee table because suddenly the fact that he was in his first serious relationship and they had yet to do more than some ridiculously hot make out sessions was weighing on him, his insecurities back to sour his stomach. “Do you find me attractive?”

Jackson laughs and Stiles had been expecting it, but for some reason it still hurts. He’d asked his friends that before when he was questioning his sexuality and his attraction to Derek versus his crush on Lydia and he reasoned with himself that no one would answer because the answer was no and they didn’t want to hurt his feelings. Now, that same question was popping up again because Stiles didn’t know how to be attractive, he didn’t know how to be the guy people looked at and he was in a togethership with someone that stopped traffic. Literally sometimes. Stiles saw him stop a car with his hands once. And like half his body, but that’s not the point. What if Derek loved him but didn’t find him attractive?  
“Stop Stilinski! You smell like you’re going to cry.” Jackson said, pulling him out of his head. He looked up to the beta and tried for a confused mask as if he had no idea what he meant but he was speaking again and Stiles couldn’t help the smile that glued itself to his face. “ …I like your new hair.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“I just keep forgetting to buzz it.” He couldn’t even say he knew what it looked like right now, just that things kept happening and he was a few weeks…months? behind on keeping it trim.

“Gives him something to hold onto.” Jackson said so quiet Stiles almost missed it and he nearly got whiplash when his head snaped up to see if that actually came out of Jackson’s mouth.

“What?”

“What are you doing to get his attention? God I can’t believe I just asked that.” Jackson moves right along, into even more awkward territory that Stiles doesn’t know how to touch.

“What do you mean? Are you giving me sex advice?! I’m kind of grossed out at the same time as really intrigued. Continue.” Stiles braced his elbows on his knees and brought his fists up under his chin to lean forward and soak in the wisdom of someone who was getting lucky (maybe not with the werewolf issue he was supposed to be focusing on) regularly.

“Like, Lydia does this thing with her eyes and I know I’m getting laid that night. Do something like that.”

Stiles can’t help but be a little disappointed. This goes back into being naturally attractive again, a skill he does not possess. “You’re so descriptive. Thanks.”

“I just mean-”

“Yeah, I get it. I don’t know how to do that, nobody ever looks at me unless they’re about to shove me into something. Derek included.  _That’s_  our sexy time. Fight, shove, make out, done. I apparently don’t know how to be sexy so just stop.  _You_. You came here with a problem, let’s fix it.”

A few hours later, Jackson is in Stiles’ room being very impatient and not at all quiet about how people go to Stiles because he’s quick with research, so why is he still here and not fixed yet while Stiles grumbles, “Maybe getting fixed is the solution.” and launches them into a fresh set of bickering. That’s when he makes some head way. “Hey, look at this.” He says as Jackson takes his time getting up to lean over the desk too.

“Jesus Christ Stilinski! I’m not reading the Kama Sutra with you!” Stiles rolls his eyes and asks the world and maybe his bond with Derek for some much needed patience in dealing with frustrated, in more ways than one, betas.

  
“Just listen. It’s all about breathing, meditation and certain positions to prolong and better the experience right?” Jackson just stares at him. “Maybe you can use the breathing and meditation part to keep the wolf from bursting out while …enjoying the experience.” God, he should get paid.

“How do you even know that?”

“What? It’s common knowledge.” Jackson’s still staring. “And there was a show I think. I don’t know, it’s the internet. I get bored.” Jackson didn’t get a chance for what would probably be some scathing virgin remark because the Skype ring was going off. “Crap! Uh…” Stiles looked around the room for something quick to throw at the webcam.

“What are you doing?”

“It’s a Skype thing. I answer different every time.” He stares at Jackson’s unenthused face and smiles. “Sit. You answer it, it’ll freak him out.” Stiles pulls the beta down into the chair and sits on the floor ready to pop up and talk to Scott when he considered him significantly freaked. He hears Jackson click to answer.

“McCall.” He doesn’t need to look up to hear the sarcastic smile in Jackson’s voice, Scott’s face was probably priceless.

“Uhhhhh… Did I? Wait. No that’s- Why are you in Stiles’ room?”

“My awesome skills!” Stiles’ said, popping up and into the screen. Scott just looked more confused. “What’s up Scotty?”

“Is this a bad time?”

“Get to the point McCall, we’re busy.”

“Um. I just wanted to see if you wanted to start practicing for lacrosse again…”

“Yeah sure. But I can’t right now, I’m helping Jackson. Maybe tomorrow?” Scott’s eyes darted between the two of them again, looking suspicious but not saying anything. “You okay Scott?”

“Yeah. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He signed off before they could set up a time. That was weird, but Scott was forgetful sometimes, he’d text him for details later.

“Okay. That was weird. Anyway, let’s go get a copy of the book you can take home and uh… practice with.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean go home, read how to do it and have happy time. If it doesn’t work, pick a different chapter.”

“I’m not testing that out on Lydia if we don’t even know it will work!”

“I’m not saying go get kinky with your girlfriend, I’m telling you to. Come on Jackson! Just go be a teenager and  _practice_.”

“I don’t have a problem when I’m by myself!”

  
“Well I’m not practicing with you.” Jackson gets up to pace again and Stiles goes back to the computer. “Fine. What about taking a yoga class? That’s like breathing exercises too and I was going to check out a class tonight to see if I could bring any of it back to the pack.”

“I’m supposed to go out with Lydia tonight.”

“Alright.” Stiles was starting to lose his patience again with Jackson’s unwillingness to do anything he suggested. “How about you come over again tomorrow morning and be my guinea pig? I’ll show you what I learned and if it works on you, I’ll bring it to the next training session.”

Jackson looks like he wants to say no but he agrees and gets up to leave, going all the way to the front door before turning around to say goodbye. “Thanks, I guess.” Stiles is shocked yet again, you think you know a guy.

“Yeah. Sure, anytime.”

“Maybe I could pay for the yoga class or something.”

“First three classes are free so don’t worry about it.”

“Oh. Well then maybe I could - I don’t know.” Jackson looked like he was in pain and majorly regretting not just walking out the door.

“Don’t hurt yourself.”

“Maybe I could help you, ya know. With Derek.” And there was the shock again. Who was this and what the hell did he do with Jackson Whittemore?

“Uhh…”

“See you tomorrow.”

“Yeah. Tomorrow. Yoga and sex ed – sounds like a plan.”

* * *

Scott ended the Skype call and stared at the computer screen for a minute. That was weird. Stiles was always weird, he was  _Stiles_  but since when did Jackson come over? He never even went to their you-have-to-invite-everyone-in-the-class-for-fairness birthday parties when they were kids.

And why was Stiles under the desk? He said he was using his skills…what skills did Stiles have on his – oh my God! No that wasn’t what was happening. Stiles and Derek were a thing. A  _mate_  thing! That was a serious thing. And Jackson was with Lydia. And it was JACKSON! No way. Never going to happen. Impossible.

Then again so was Stiles and Derek. And Jackson said Stiles was one of his anchors. No way though. Scott needed something else to think about. Like right now, because the images in his head were really  _really_  going to scar him. He needed to do something. Typically, he’d call Stiles but he was going to stay away from anything potentially happening with him right now. Then he would call Allison, but she still wanted some space.

Internet. The internet was good, Stiles was always on the internet. Don’t think about Stiles!

Nothing new was happening in social media. The only email he had was from their new English teacher on the importance of summer reading and the syllabus for the year. He could do that. He could get a head start. Maybe it would help his grades, or at least give him a buffer in case the supernatural attacked Beacon Hills  _again_. And maybe if he seemed smarter, he could impress Allison and she would want to get back together faster. He should probably pick up the books, and he should definitely bring them to the next meeting. Maybe he could read and do one handed pull-ups. That sounded badass. He’d be impressed by that.

  
He drove his new motorcycle down to the book store on Main (it was a motor cycle, not a dirt bike, everyone was jerks, but it didn’t really matter because he didn’t have to share a car with his mom anymore and it was the first big thing he paid for on his own) and stood outside a minute debating how he was going to get the books home without a backpack or anything… because it was a bike when he noticed the Porsche a few spots up. Great, he was not supposed to be thinking about that. At least he wasn’t in Stiles’ room anymore. That was probably the weirdest part. Now it was going to smell all weird. Like pack, but still weird.

He was almost done finding the books on the list, all organized into a nice Beacon Hills High end cap and table that Scott was very grateful for because trying to dig around for everything was more Stiles’ thing, he didn’t want to be in a book store for hours. He was ready to go to the register when he realized that he hadn’t run into Jackson yet. Shouldn’t he be in this section too? Scott shrugged to himself, nearly dropping his books. Maybe he went into a different store. That is until Scott was getting into line and Jackson ended up right behind him. He was only getting one book and it was – oh my god, how could this day get any worse? “Are you serious?”

“Shut up McCall.”

“That’s fine. I really don’t want to know.”

“I said shut up. I meant it. Don’t tell anyone! Especially not Stiles.”

“I’m not going to tell anyone. I wish I had never even seen it.” He said, paying for his books and leaving. Conversation over. This day sucked, he was traumatized and in serious need of an adult. He was definitely telling Stiles tomorrow.

Or not. Because before he knew it, it was tomorrow and he probably should have called but they said they would meet and Stiles was up because when he climbed in the window, the bed was empty and even Derek was gone so his head was still attached at least. And that’s when he heard the noises down stairs. It was Jackson again.

“Stiles stop! I can’t bend that way. Can’t we try something easier first?”

“We did easy, just breathe through it. Be a man.” Stiles said like he was out of breath and Jackson groaned. “That’s it, move your hips back.” Oh God, not again. They were doing the book. This wasn’t happening! How could they do this? He kind of expected it of Jackson, but he thought the guy had changed and was all beauty and the beast Disney version for Lydia. And Stiles! What was he thinking, was he possessed?

“What was that?” Oh crap, Jackson knew he was here. He went back out the window and jogged to the front door, knocking and hoping it would give them some time to get the hell away from each other because there was not enough distraction in the world to wash that out of his head. He was kidnapping Stiles for lacrosse, he was getting the story, and he was… he didn’t know if he should tell Derek. What was the bro code for this?

“Scott? You look like you’re going to cry.” Stiles said, opening the door fully clothed, thank god! “What’s wrong dude?”

“Aren’t we going to practice lacrosse? Why is Jackson here again?” He tried to play it cool, he knew he sounded like he was going to cry too though, because seriously, what should he do?!

“Yeah, I was just… uh, Jackson! Do you want to practice lacrosse with me and Scott?”

“NO!” both betas yelled at the same time.

“Okay. Yeesh. Come in Scott, let me get my stuff. Jackson, I guess I’ll see you later if you still want to go shopping?” Shopping? Since when did Stiles go shopping? What the serious fuck was going on?

“Yeah, sure.”

“Okay. Go home and practice or something.” Stiles shrugged and winked. He winked!

Scott threw up a little, but not as much as when Jackson brushed by him to leave and he reeked of Stiles and sweat. At least there wasn’t that other layer he wasn’t thinking about and was kind of terrified would be there. Not yet anyway, and he was not letting that happen. He threw himself on the comfy side of the couch with the dented armrest that was awesome to lean against and tried to relax. He needed to text Derek. Maybe something not so obvious but like, to see if Derek knew what was up.

**Hey r u stiles n jackson having like a sister wives thing? brother husbands watevr 0.0**

**What?**

**R u dating eachothr**

  
Scott’s phone started to ring and he nearly threw it. He listened to Stiles dig around for his lacrosse stick and made sure the coast was clear before answering. He didn’t even get to say hello. “Scott! I’m with Stiles and you know that you idiot, what are you talking about?”

“Yeah, but are you like with Jackson too?”

“ _No_. Why?”

Scott didn’t like this part, he wanted to avoid this part until he talked to Stiles. He shouldn’t have sent the text. “Because Stiles was like doing the Karma Sutra thing with him.” Derek didn’t answer for a minute and Scott felt so guilty he was really going to throw up this time.

“Scott.” Derek sighed twice before trying to speak again, the poor guy. Crap. “You’re, I don’t. First of all it’s  _Kama_  Sutra and second, Stiles is teaching Jackson yoga.” He hung up with a growl and Scott wanted to cry again. The alpha was in denial because he trusted his mate and his beta and Scott was going to have to be the one to break his heart if he was right about all the weird happening. He’d talk to Stiles first this time though. If he was going to do something so stupid that would end in all of them being murdered, he better have a really good reason.

* * *

Stiles was having another awkward day. To start with, there was his dad walking in on him and Derek sleeping together this morning. Just sleeping. It wasn’t the first time they weren’t up and looking innocent at the kitchen table by the time his dad woke up but… yeah, still awkward.

He was all of a sudden very thankful Derek was too tired to even crawl into bed last night and ended up just passing out on top of the covers with jeans still on and everything. All they got was a narrow eyed, “I’m going to work.” when it could have been way worse. Then there was Jackson pounding on the door at 8 friggin’ am and Derek sleeping his way through the first half of a yoga lesson, raising his eyes brows and mocking the rest before leaving. And now Scott was giving him the silent treatment and not holding off on the werewolf strength one bit as he pushed him around the back yard, still looking like he was going to start crying any minute.

And then Jackson’s back, letting himself into Stiles’ room to paw through his clothes and throw a ton of stuff in a pile on the floor. Scott and Stiles watch as Jackson makes a face like he’s touching pure shit and adds to the heap that is slowly becoming almost every article of clothing he owns. Stiles leaves Scott for two minutes to check on the situation and gets nothing but a hissy fit from his best friend who calms down enough to watch him go into the house but not follow.

“Uh… hi. What’re ya doin’ there Jackson?”

“Throwing your crap out. We’re buying you new clothes.”

“We are, are we?”

“Do you want to be attractive or not?”

“That involves new clothes?” Stiles watched T after T get thrown on the floor followed by his most comfortable pair of jeans and just frowns.

“You’re still a teenager and he’s in his twenties. You’re like a kid, if you want him to treat you like a  _man_  and not a kid, you need to dress like one. “

“But,” Stiles pulls open his flannel and gestures to the smiling muffin on his chest, “I’m a stud muffin.”

“You’re a pathetic loser. Consider my credit card an apology for the restraining order. You’re getting a haircut too.”

“You said you liked my hair.” Jackson just rolled his eyes and left the house, starting up the Porsche and waiting.

“Scott!” Stiles called into the back yard. “I’m beat, literally. I’m pretty much black and blue because of you. We’re going shopping, wanna come?” Scott just throws his lacrosse stick against a tree and stomps off into the woods. “Hey! I’m not blowing you off, you’re killing me. What the hell man?” Scott doesn’t come back so Stiles locks up the house and gets in the car.

Ten minutes later Scott is not so subtly following them on his motor bike a few cars back and Jackson’s blaring techno, Stiles reaches over to change the station. “Hey. Driver picks the music, shot gun shuts his cake hole.”

Stiles would be as angry as his abused brain was at the obnoxious beat if he wasn’t a little impressed. “Did you just Dean Winchester me?”

“You understood my reference?”

“Did we just become best frien-”

“Nope.”

“I can live with that.”

It wasn’t long before they were in the mall and Jackson was making fun of his wardrobe choices yet again. “Why do you wear your shirts so big?”

“Uh… to look bigger?”

Jackson gave him that dead on the inside glare he’d been sporting all morning before rolling his eyes to the ceiling as if Stiles was equally exasperating and a complete mystery. It wouldn’t be the first time someone thought so. Hopefully not the last – if he had a dollar for every eye roll- “You want to look fat?”

“No. Just compared to you lunatics I’m scrawny.”

“Seriously?”

Now it was his turn to roll his eyes. He was on the scrawny side before they all got the bite. But still, no matter how much muscle he put on, he stayed lean and he just looked like a bag of bones. “What?”

Jackson shrugs, something he didn’t do very often but was certainly picking up the habit of. Haha! Stiles would give him humanity! At least their …friendship…packship, whatever this was, was giving him some emotions on the dial besides pissed, douche, and brat. “I mean, you’re no body builder but you’re not so bad.” Oh, that was priceless, was Jackson actually trying to make him feel better about his body image?

“Please do not give me your attempt at a feel good in your own skin speech. I do feel good in my own skin, I’m confident enough, I just have realistic views about what I’m lacking.” He flares a bit and lets out some sound that doesn’t really mean anything because GOD.

  
“You’re shopping for new clothes to hide what you don’t like?”

“Obviously.”

“Isn’t that kind of lying?” Stiles turns around to try out his own dead stare. “About what you have I mean.”

He can’t help laughing at that. “Girls have push up bras, I have layers. Why are we still talking about this?”

“Because it’s weird.”

How in their lives is  _this_  remotely weird? “Don’t you have something in the mirror you’re not thrilled with?”

  
“I can honestly say I’ve never felt that way.”

Bullshit. Stiles didn’t need werewolf hearing to know that had to be a lie. Right? “Of course you haven’t.” Jackson preens under what he apparently didn’t understand was sarcasm and they continue to look through the racks in silence. Stiles is pouting in disappointment at the prices for one friggin’ Tshirt here when Jackson starts talking again.

“Why don’t you get stuff that shows off what you like?” Stiles lets out a sigh, he’s starting to understand Derek’s constant state of frustration with everyone.

“What are you reading Cosmo now?”

“Shut up.” Stiles took that as a yes and looks to where Jackson is pointing at a back to school poster for the  _geek chic_  look. “Be that guy. He’s way scrawnier than you and he looks good.”

  
“I’m not wearing skinny jeans. I can’t run for my life in skinny jeans.”

“Derek does.”

“Derek doesn’t wear skinny jeans they’re just tight.”

“Rock stars wear skinny jeans.” Did Jackson think he was a child?

“Rock stars wear girl’s jeans in a walk of shame/glory to represent how often they get laid.”

“Well, you want to get laid don’t you? Wait!” Jackson paints on this evil smirk that Stiles takes a moment to back away from before he follows his gaze. The beta goes over to a shelf and pulls out a pair of… not skinny jeans, but gray fitted jeans that look pretty tight and kind of like Derek’s. Hmm.

“Alright, I’ll bite. And if I’m lucky-”

“I swear to god if you say  _he will too_  I’m not paying for any of this.” Stiles juggles his pile of shirts to zip his lips. He thought that was a pretty good line, but whatever.

  
“Scott would have laughed.” Stiles shrugged, trying not to be completely obvious but clue Scott in to the fact that he knew his best friend was following him for reasons unknown and probably creepy. Jackson eyed the mannequins Scott was not as subtly as he thought hiding in. Yeah, he knew too.

“Try these on too.” Jackson said, throwing another pair on in a rusty brown color. What, was he supposed to look like a deer running through the trees? Stiles was torn between the benefits of brown pants if he falls in the dirt and looking like prey to Derek versus the cons of looking like prey to other supernaturals while Jackson added more clothes to his pile.

“Why brown? You don’t wear brown jeans.”

“So we can’t tell when you shit yourself running away.”

“Oh haha you’re so friggin’ funny Jackson. But seriously, what’s wrong with my jeans?”

“Besides being stained and ripped to shit, if you’re going to wear stupid shirts you’ll need nicer pants to balance it out.”

“How do you know all this?” Because seriously, when did Jackson become straight eye for the queer dude? Is it the money? Are rich people born with fashion sense or something? Did they give Jackson the welcome package and handbook when he was adopted? Jackson rolls his eyes, and oh yeah.

“Lydia.” They say at the same time and laugh.

When Stiles arms feel like they’re going to break off with the weight of the clothes Jackson keeps throwing at him, they make their way to the fitting rooms, Jackson waiting outside texting someone while Stiles goes through the absolute torture of trying things on. He opens the door to hold up a plaid shirt almost exactly like the one he has on. “I don’t see the difference except for the price tag.” He gestures between them.

“Just. Put. It. On.” Stiles slowly closes the door. Maybe Derek should use shopping as Jackson’s next trigger. And…okay wow. They look similar on the hanger but the new shirt was pretty nice. It fit completely different, almost tailored and when he moved, the fabric moved with him like it wouldn’t betray him and rip in the first fight it encountered. Stiles shrugged, Jackson was paying, he could get a couple overly expensive shirts he guessed.

He tried on henleys and the jeans, not so bad and pretty stretchy. The shirts were definitely tighter than he was used to, but not in a bad way. He felt kinda good looking in the mirror… until he noticed a serious lack of fun happening in the color scheme of what Jackson picked out – namely actual colors. Everything was black, gray and white except for the brown pants and a few things Stiles picked that he didn’t really like the fit of any more.

“I thought I was getting serious pants to balance out my happy shirts. Why do I have so many sad shirts?”

“Just try them on. If they fit you can get different colors.”

He put on another black Tshirt, this one with barely visible stripes across the chest, it made him look broader while still tight against his body. He actually looked a little built. “I feel like I should have my own fashion show montage to ‘Hungry Like a Wolf’ or something.”

“I’m calling Danny.”

“We probably should have started with that.” Stiles mumbled under his breath.

“Shut up. I’m good. Danny will tell you I’m good.” Stiles nodded to the mirror.

* * *

“You’re good.” Danny said to Jackson when the beta asked Stiles to pick his favorite look for his best friend’s opinion before he paid for everything. He wasn’t going to redo Stiles wardrobe, even though it seriously needed an overhaul, if he just made the kid look like a mess again. Stiles was wearing the plaid hoodie Jackson had picked in dark green but he traded in for bright red, of course, and the Tshirt he’s pretty sure the idiot was complaining about being sad a few minutes ago. The sleeves on the plaid were rolled up and if Jackson accomplished anything today, it was making Stiles not look so skinny. He was surprised to see how much muscle the loser actually had, the clothes he wore must always dwarf him. “Back to school clothes?” He asked Stiles.

“Landing the guy clothes.”

“Really?” Danny says, giving Jackson a pointed look which means he needed to cough up the dough. No way was he putting another twenty bucks on top of the shit he was buying for Stiles today. He pulled out a ten and slapped it into Danny’s palm, hard enough to show he was pissed but not enough to hurt his friend. “Uh… that’s half.”

“He’s bi.” He tells Danny, daring him to fight it and glaring at Stiles. “You’re buying lunch!”

Stiles shrugs, going back into the dressing room to change and choosing to ignore what just happened. “I’d complain but I’m starving.”

“Hair first.” He calls back and Stiles groans.

After a haircut with Stiles squirming in the chair like a little kid and looking disgusted at the styling products the girl was putting in (Jackson laughing at how he could stand up to werewolves but not hair gel) Stiles buys lunch and Danny attempts a guy on guy advice session. That’s why he called his best friend in the first place, shopping - miserable but ultimately fine. Gay sex appeal advice - he is not touching that no matter how much time Stiles puts in to help him with his problem.

  
“So, are you going to tell me who this guy is? It’s not me is it because Stiles-”

“I’m going to cut you off before I’m offended. Remember Miguel?”

“Your cousin?” Danny’s eyes go wide and Jackson is very confused for a second.

“Not my cousin, actually Derek Hale hiding in my house while he was under suspicion of murder and a few other charges me and Scott kinda used him as a scapegoat for.” Stiles said through a guilty smile.

Jackson laughed out loud, he had no idea. “HA! You hid him in your house? We didn’t know he wasn’t actually a killer yet you idiot.”

“I did.”

“Wow.” Danny is just shaking his head at the new drama.

“I know, I’m a genius. Why would my dad look in his own house? It was a good plan.”

“Right.” Jackson says, he was listening to Stiles’ heartbeat and though he wasn’t outright lying, he was definitely twisting some details around.

“And at the time he was very persuasive.” That sounded more like it.

“Not as much as you.” Danny said under his breath, looking a little embarrassed and that had Jackson’s attention.

  
“Hmm?” Was all Stiles said, innocently sipping his coke like he had no idea what Danny was talking about.

“You basically had him strip for me so I’d hack into the files you wanted.”

“What!” How did Jackson not know about this? There were so many stripper jokes that could have been utilized, was the joke too old now? No. Never, he needed to see Derek right now. Their next training session was going to be hilarious.

“It’s exactly how it sounds. Just shirt though, pants stayed on. My current problem. Which you, Danny, are going to help me solve. Right?”

“I’m sorry Stiles, I can’t help you land that.”

“Already landed. Practically married. Just need the sex part to happen.”

Danny looked to Jackson, face void of all emotion like he was sick of Jackson’s shit and for once he wasn’t pulling the guys leg. “It’s true. They’re disgusting.”

“Stiles.” Danny smirks and nods, even offering a few quiet claps.

“ _I know_! I’m awesome, but no sex! Honor the bro code and help me get laid.” Danny rolls his eyes again but takes up the challenge of trying to get Stiles’ hyperactive body to convey the ‘come hither’ look. There was laughter all around at that epic waste of time. Stiles was hopeless… and borderline creepy.

“Maybe we should just work on flirting?” Danny was trying to be nice, but he was practically sweating from the pressure, there was no nice. Stiles was not made for sexy.

“We have very blunt and cheesy flirting, we’re good. I need to seduce.”

  
“Just… be yourself.” Stiles caught on and slumped down in the chair, throwing his head back and whipping around when he finally noticed McCall had followed them to the restaurant too.

“Scott, you can quit hiding over there.” Jackson said, shaking his head at the loser.

“What the hell is wrong with you today dude? You okay?”

Scott stomps up to the table with that stupid simultaneously mad and confused face. It must be so hard having so little brain cells. He looks around the table before glaring at Stiles. “Are you cheating on Derek?”

“What? With  _who_?”

He looks at Jackson and yeah, stupid. But endlessly entertaining if not unbearably annoying. “Are you serious McCall?” He can’t help laughing. Stiles joins in too after the shock wears off and soon Danny’s smile is too big to hide behind his cup. Scott just looks at all of them, his anger building. Jackson keeps an ear open for his heart beat because this was ridiculous but that didn’t mean Scott wasn’t serious and this could end very badly. Especially since Danny didn’t know yet, although he wouldn’t be surprised if his best friend had guessed some of it by now. The fact that he actually hadn’t seen the Kanima transformation video Jackson  _gave_  him was a friggin’ miracle.

“It’s not funny. Derek can be an asshole but being together with him isn’t a joke. You’re going to kill him.” He storms off and Jackson can hear him struggle to start the bike and speed away, as fast as that p o s could go anyway.

  
“What the hell was that? Is it the full moon already?” It was an everyday phrase, but Jackson caught himself checking Danny’s reaction anyway. He was just shrugging.

“I don’t know. McCall’s a drama queen, you know that.” Jackson said because he was pretty sure Scott was talking about the mate bond and that Stiles wasn’t supposed to know that part. At least from what Lydia said Derek had apparently alluded to an alpha not lasting long if their mate left or died. But maybe McCall was just being a drama queen. He couldn’t imagine Derek telling him of all people if he didn’t want Stiles to know. Stiles stared at him for a minute like he could sense Jackson was lying, and shit, could he? Did he have some co-alpha bullshit detector now? He throws some money down before getting up to chase him. “Don’t bother, he’s gone.” He almost feels kind of bad at the ‘my puppy _wasn’t_ just run over’ look Stiles was trying to pull off.

* * *

“Derek, I’m telling you, you have to fight for Stiles. Don’t let him end up with Jackson it’s just weird and I never thought I’d say it but you’re way better for him.”

“Scott-”

“And I know you don’t believe me but you’re in denial. I’m  _telling_  you-”

“Scott-”

“They went shopping and out to lunch and were all flirty and datey and Jackson bought him clothes that he said made him look sexy.”

Derek actually had to pause and look at the phone for that part. “What?”

“The clothes. He told Stiles he needed to start dressing like a man and he’d help him look sexy and kept talking about his body and how he was hiding it.” Derek didn’t do a very good job of not growling into the phone. “Good. You’re finally paying attention.” Something in him was starting to actually get worried. What if Scott was right? The kid can be surprisingly smart at the weirdest times. Maybe Derek had pushed Stiles into seeing someone else because he wanted to protect his first time and didn’t want to take that leap yet. No. There had to be an explanation. Derek knew Stiles was a little body conscious. They had talked about it and he thought Stiles had listened to how much Derek liked his lean muscles and soft skin, but they were going to need to have that talk again. Maybe Jackson was just trying to help him too in his own blunt way.

“They were probably just shopping Scott.”

“No. Jackson paid for everything, and then he made Stiles get a haircut and paid for that too.” Stiles got a haircut? Derek almost mourned. He liked Stiles hair anyway he wanted to wear it, but he had loved the feeling of it growing out when he ran his fingers through it. It was almost finally long enough to pull. He needed to stop thinking about that right now, he was almost at Stiles’ house and had to calm down before he got there. “Then they met Danny for lunch and kept staring at each other. It was worse than that hunter and angel on the show he makes us watch.”

“Scott.” When the kid finally stopped talking, he started walking again. “Shut up.” He hung up and ran to Stiles’ house, jumping up to the porch roof and through the window without stopping. It did smell like Jackson in here, but they spent the day together so he really shouldn’t think too much into it. He wasn’t Scott. He wasn’t an idiot. All he had to do was ask and he’d know. He’d know even if he didn’t. Right?

Stiles was already talking before his feet even hit the carpet. Their bond was so strong, there’s no way it could happen. “Sooooooooo… Scott’s being weird.”

Derek can’t help but smile, because Stiles must be getting the freaked out Scott calls too, and he was stalked all day if Scott’s details of his time out with Jackson were anything to go by. “What else is new?”

“I think he thinks Jackson and I are dating… or something.” This was his chance. He took a deep breath, watching Stiles go through a pile of clothes on the floor and making two more.

“Are you?”

His mate looked up at him like he had lost his mind and he already felt ten times better. “No.” His heart didn’t falter, lies didn’t sour the bond and his wolf just stretched and sighed happily with the weight off his shoulders.

“Then don’t worry about it.” He smiled, moving to lounge on the bed and watch Stiles fuss over the piles of clothes on the floor, organizing them in some senseless way. He still looked distressed and the thought had the smile slipping off his face. “Hey.”

“He just seemed really upset and now he won’t answer my calls-”

“Want me to call him?” Stiles shook his head, starting to fold the clothes in one of piles. “Want me to kill him?”

“Shut up.” Maybe a change of subject would be better. Only Derek didn’t really do conversation that wasn’t prompted like it had been since Lydia pulled out her list during that friggin’ truth or dare game.

“What are you doing?”

“Jackson said I should get rid of these but he’s a douche who thinks it’s okay to spend $50 on a Tshirt so I’m keeping them. Some of them really should be given away though.” That must be the second pile. Derek watches the second pile get put into an empty shopping bag and tries not to feel sentimental towards the jeans ripped in just the right spot where you can see Stiles’ underwear when he walks. He definitely didn’t feel bad for the other pair with the torn and frayed hems that Stiles always tripped on, those were going to get him killed, he’d been thinking about destroying them for weeks.

When he was done, Stiles looked up at him and shrugged, his hair was a little messy but it was still long. Long enough that when Stiles’ ran his hand over the top of his head, the movement made it stick up even more wildly. “You cut your hair.”

His mate smiles at him again and Derek melts a little inside. It was so easy to make Stiles smile, but he would never stop trying to make it happen again and again. “Jackson. He made me go. I think they put cement in it, I’ll wash it out in the morning. Hopefully my hair won’t fall out overnight.”

Derek shook his head. He wanted to hear more about Stiles’ day. More ways Scott was wrong. “You smell like Danny.”

“Danny met up with us for lunch, which was on me unfortunately, but Jackson paid for clothes I might never wear and hair I don’t know what to do with so…” He shrugged before his eyes lit up and Derek found himself swallowing against god knows what was about to come out of his mate’s mouth. “Danny remembers you.” He smirked.

“Oh yeah?”

“Well, at least he remembered Miguel.”

  
Oh God, he had almost forgotten about that. “I really hate you sometimes.”

“I can think of something to make you like me again. Or hate me more, depending on your mood.” Derek raised his eyebrows, waiting for the answer. “I can repay the favor.”

“What?”

“I’ll show you the clothes we bought. My bod’s not as sweet as Miguel’s but… you know.” Derek eyed the bags by Stiles’ closet. They were supposed to be sexy clothes, that’s what Scott said. He wanted to see what was in the bag desperately but all of a sudden he didn’t think it was such a great idea. “Derek?”

“Maybe another time.”

“Are you turning down the stripping or the fashion show?” Stiles sounded so disappointed and Derek had to grasp at what little truths he could besides the  _I don’t want to pressure you into sleeping with me before you’re ready_  that was always pushing him away from Stiles in moments like this.

  
“No. I. The clothes smell like so many other people. I just want them to smell like us.” That was closer to home, if not a little possessive. Derek winced at his word choice but Stiles eyebrows shot up.

“That’s kind of gross. I’m definitely going to wash them before I wear them.” Then he was smiling again, looking pretty pleased with himself. “I still get to change into my pjs for you though.”

Derek laughed. “Your pjs are your boxers.”

“Exactly.” He said, whipping off his plaid shirt only to have it get stuck on his wrists. Derek bit back his smile and continued to watch the flailing that ensued. “This is not sexy.”

“You still have jeans and a t-shirt, keep going.” Derek encouraged, if his mate was having the body image problems Scott brought up than he needed to show him some more appreciation. If only Stiles knew the things that body made him think. He watched Stiles toe off his shoes and socks, undoing his pants but leaving them on as he stripped off the shirt. Derek copied him, getting ready for bed and climbing under the covers, opting to leave his shirt on even though he was dying to press their bare skin together. Stiles waited until he had his attention back to slowly slide the pants off, bending over to make eye contact with him. Derek was really getting into the moment until he took in the face Stiles was making, one he had never seen before and didn’t have any idea how to respond to. “Why are you making that face?”

Stiles let a frustrated sigh and stepped closer to the bed, stretching his head back so he could speak to the ceiling. “Ugh, it’s supposed to be a ‘come hither’ face.” Derek had to bite back another laugh. It definitely was, he just didn’t know Stiles meant it.

“It looked like you were playing porn in your head.”

“That’s what Danny said to do!” Stiles looked down at him with such an expression of betrayal, probably for Danny, that Derek couldn’t hold in the laughter anymore. “Just shut up and come hither would you?” He said, pushing Derek back on the bed and hovering over him. “Jerk.” Derek laughed into the kiss, playing with Stiles until his mate was laughing too.

* * *

His night hadn’t gone exactly as he’d imagined but it was certainly a pleasant morning. Derek woke him up with a nuzzle to his neck telling him how gorgeous his skin was in the sunlight before they continued their kissing from the night before, this time laughter free even though that was kind of fun. They lazily pawed at each other, Derek keeping one hand in his hair – Jackson may have been right about the hold on thing - while running the other hand over Stiles’ chest and stomach, stopping for little squeezes here and there before ghosting over his hip and resting on his leg where his thumb stroked back and forth. Stiles did some exploring of his own, over arms and chest, tracing the shape of his abs through the t-shirt before Derek was kissing him breathless and his hand took on a mind of its own, turning around and sliding down to cup at the bulge growing behind Derek’s underwear. Maybe this is what they needed, Stiles being blunt and initiating things.

Or not.

Derek froze and grabbed Stiles’ wrist, almost too hard, to pull his hand away. The alpha was panting, but his eyes were closed and there was a frown on his face and Stiles found himself freezing too. This was a mistake. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what-”

“Jackson’s here.” Derek said, straightening up so he could swing his legs over the side of the bed, pull his pants back on and reach for his shoes.

Oh. “Come in Jackson you cock blocking bastard.” Derek looked back at him with wide eyes and he couldn’t help shrugging as he went to find clothes. “What?” He got dressed and listened to Jackson unlock the door with the key from the pot to let himself in and head up the stairs.

“Come hither look worked then?” He asked, that bitchy smirk back on his face. This day started off so nice, what the hell happened? “I’m surprised. I thought you looked like a pedophile at a playground.”

“That’s nice Jackson, thanks. And no, Derek laughed in my face.”

“I didn’t laugh in your face.” Stiles gave him the best withering glare he could work up under the circumstances. It wasn’t as hard as he thought even if he did still feel bad for making Derek uncomfortable. “Not until you told me you were playing porn in your head.”

“Alright, get out of here so I can help Jackson without you pressuring him.” Stiles leaned over the bed to kiss Derek’s cheek. “I’ll call you later.”

“What are you helping Jackson with?”

Awkward, Jackson was already sending him death glares and he hadn’t even said anything. “That’s up to your beta to tell you.”

“Later.” Jackson said and paused for a bit while Stiles noticed the mischief enter his eyes. “Maybe then you could teach me the strip tease Danny remembers so well.” It was Stiles turn to laugh as Derek got up and went out the window without another word.

  
“That was mean.”

“You laughed.”

“Yeah, I had already teased him about it last night.”

“I don’t want to know.” Jackson said, leaving the room and heading down stairs again.

“Nothing happened.” Stiles called after him.

When they got settled in the living room and Stiles finally convinced him to shift into his wolf after putting a ring of mountain ash around the beta, per Jackson’s request, they worked on more yoga and breathing exercises for a while until Stiles ran out of things to try.

“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with you Jackson. Even when you’re wolfed out you’re so friggin’ calm dude, it’s almost scary.”

“Then why can’t I stop shifting?”

“I think you need to use your wolf form more and practice keeping in control that way. If you can, then maybe letting your eyes or teeth out won’t be so bad.”

“But that puts Lydia in danger.”

“Not if you’re in control.” Stiles sighed, breaking the mountain ash circle with a swipe of his hand and watching Jackson’s features change back as the beta scowled at him. “Look, last full moon when Derek was having his control issues we made out and he let his teeth out. His eyes were red almost the whole night too, but he was still in complete control. I think you’re fine but you should man up and talk to Derek before trying anything with Lydia because I’m not your vet, I don’t know what’s normal sexy time behavior for werewolves.”

“I have training later, I’ll do it then.”

“Fine. For now though, I’m starving. You can stay and eat if you want.” The beta shrugged. Stiles took that as a yes and went to heat up some pizza rolls while he let Jackson pick a movie.

Soon enough they were lounging in a pizza roll coma and yelling at ‘Stoker’ as it played across the TV.

“Eugh. God! Spiders man, don’t let that climb up your skirt are you crazy? What is she like his Renfield?”

“Are you afraid of spiders Stilinski?”

“No! But I wouldn’t let one crawl under my skirt. That’s just wrong. She’s got to be a vampire.” They go quiet again as they wait for the inevitable blood bath. The housekeeper goes missing but there isn’t a drop of blood in the place, probably just building up tension.

“You know he ate the housekeeper right?” Jackson was asking. It was weird how they thought the same things when watching horror movies. Jackson was kind of growing on him this week.

“Blood in the wine! My money’s on blood in the wine. He’s vamping them up and they don’t even know it.” Stiles shouts on his way back from the kitchen for a soda run. There’s more silence when there’s no immediate violence even if it’s totally obvious that the aunt is not going to make it.

And yeah, big surprise, she doesn’t… but he doesn’t eat her either. Or at least they don’t show it if he does.

“Look at her looking at the blood! Maybe they’re born vampires. You know the name and everything.” Stiles finds himself guessing. “Maybe when you turn 18 you become the creature or whatever and her dad died before he could tell her and now the brother is there to show her the ways of the night.”

“Obviously.” Jackson scoffs, but he leans closer like he hadn’t thought of that and was now rethinking the whole movie. Point one for Stiles. And then violence but the kind that made you feel guilty you were watching it and still no blood drinking unless you counted what splashed on the girls face and probably in her mouth. And then shower? Well, yeah. You’d probably want to shower after something like that. Now Stiles felt extra bad.

“Aw, don’t cry guys are jerks… _oh_. Jeeze.” Because he realized it wasn’t just a shower and Jackson laughed next to him as he caught on. “That’s not weird or anything…” Oh crap, Jackson. “You’re not getting excited are you? How’s your sexy time control going?”

“Definitely not excited with you in the room.” The beta rolled his eyes and fiddled with the empty soda can, looking a little uncomfortable. At least Stiles wasn’t the only one. This movie was weird, Jackson was never picking again.

When the end eventually rolled around Stiles exited the credits and leaned back. “Huh.”

“…so they’re not?”

“Nope.”

“That had nothing-”

“Nope.”

“Why the fuck call it Stoker?”

“I don’t know, but you’re not allowed to pick until you can redeem yourself. Sports movies and creepy borderline incestuous psychos, Jackson. It’s not looking good for you.”

“I didn’t know.”

“Did you even read the description?”

“No. I went to horror, it was new. It was called Stoker.  _When is Dracula not good_?”

“When it’s not Dracula apparently.” They laughed it off and Stiles cleaned up their plates and sodas because they might be kinda-friends now, but Jackson was still Jackson.

“I still have an hour before training. I’m going to go practice.”

Stiles laughed at their code word for masturbating. The last few days had to be the weirdest werewolf issue anyone had come to him with so far. “Practice makes perfect dude, just don’t do it here.”

* * *

Jackson is late.

He doesn’t really care, it’s just an observation. He was supposed to meet Derek at the old Hale house at four and it’s almost five. Oh well, he was _practicing_ and Jackson finally thinks he may have a handle on things. He doesn’t, at all, rush out of the house without a shower when he sees the time because he’s afraid of what Derek will do when he gets there late. He’s just a lazy teenager who is about to work up a sweat and need another shower after training anyway, at least that’s what he tells himself.

  
Either way, problem mostly solved. He could finally go back to a little normalcy with Lydia after he talked to Derek just to make sure. Jackson wasn’t going to say he had a problem, but he was going to ask what normal expectations should be in a …relationship. When he ran down the dirt drive, he was never driving there again after the last training session, he could hear McCall.

  
Messing with McCall this week had been a mix of embarrassing and hilarious, like most things Scott does. Jackson was almost about to bring up his lack of stalking skills to Derek until Scott was yelling, “Yeah? Well why does he smell like sex and Stiles?”

Shit.

Derek’s eyes zeroed in on him and flashed a red that nearly had Jackson’s legs give out. He had to know right? He smelled like sex _and_ Stiles not _sex with Stiles_. Derek wasn’t that stupid.

He was pissed though.

“Scott. Shut up and go home.” There was nothing to question in his tone and Scott only stood his ground for a few stubborn seconds before taking off. Derek closed the distance to Jackson and began to circle him. Great. His life was over because he asked Stiles for sex advice. You know what, his life was probably over when he needed to talk to friggin’ Stilinski about sex advice. He should have known.

“I don’t want to know why you smell like both but I’m going to assume that you left Stiles’ house this morning and didn’t shower before some other activities. Am I wrong?”

  
“No.” He was embarrassed to barely get the word out around a swallow but his heart was steady and that’s probably the only thing he had going for him.

“Why have you been spending so much time with Stiles lately?”

“That’s why I’m here. I’m having a problem and he’s been helping me.” Derek’s face got even more fierce if possible, the wolf slipping through the man without even a flash of fang or a single claw extended. “Not control issues! I mean, yeah control, but sex control. With Lydia. God.”

Derek laughs and Jackson can breathe again, his wolf showing its stomach but no longer cowering. “Scott.” They both say. He really needed to stop doing that with his alphas. Ugh, he still couldn’t get over Stilinski technically being his alpha now.

Karma’s a bitch.

* * *

“Stiles-”

“I know. You’re sorry and an idiot and I forgive you.” Scott tried to smile at his best friend even though he still felt like a jerk. “Next time why don’t you ask me instead of stalking me though?”

“Deal bro.” He crushes Stiles in a hug until his best friend is tapping out on his shoulder and gasping for breath. His phone chirps and he gets his hopes up thinking maybe it was Allison before he sees Jackson’s name at the top.

**I swear to god mccall u r not going 2 b able 2 touch urslef 4 the rest of ur life w/out me telling every1 about it u fucking moron**

  
The last few days come crashing down on him again with a slow motion replay of him telling Derek that Jackson smelled like sex and Scott feels like he’s going to die. Stiles hooks his head over Scott’s shoulder to read the text and chokes back a laugh before clearing his throat and patting Scott’s back. “That’s harsh bro.” He can’t hold back the laughter anymore and Scott just watches him roll on the bed clutching his stomach while he thinks about his life and his choices so far.

When Stiles finally gets a hold of himself he goes down the hall and comes back to throw clothes at his face. “Do these smell like mall people?” Scott thinks maybe he’s high but sniffs them anyway.

“No?”

“Good. Come on, let’s go back to Derek’s. I’m initiating phase two of the ‘get some’ plan and while we’re there you can grovel with Jackson for your private time rights back.

When they got to the woods Stiles jumped out of the car first. It was weird to see him dressed like that. It was still Stiles, the henley was way tighter than he would usually wear it, but it was bright red instead of gray like his or Derek’s would have been. And he still wore his converse with the hole in the heel. But the pants. It looked like he was wearing Derek’s pants and the thought was making him really uncomfortable. Was this part of the plan? Scott didn’t even know what plan ‘get some’ was, though he didn’t really have to use his imagination. NO. nonono. Was he about to watch Stiles try to seduce Derek? The loft and Stiles house had been blissfully alpha/best friend sex smell free.

Scott really, _really_ wanted to keep it that way!

Derek turned around and _ew_ , no. Scott was going to have nightmares. Jackson stood behind the alpha making a face like he was gagging on the smell too but still managed to give Stiles two thumbs up.

At least Stiles looked ridiculously happy.

“See you later guys!” Scott called and Jackson followed him back through the woods, running as far away from that as possible.

**Author's Note:**

> edited 17 February 2014 for space issues (sorry about that)  
> Please bring any mistakes we missed to the comment section or thebadassisin.tumblr.com/ask  
> Thank you - WT


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